FSE

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CONTENT WARNING: foul language, T

STAVE THE SIXTH – HOW IT ENDED

Everyone was standing when Jeremy came through the door. He immediately noticed the two without RCGs.

“Guy, Alice,” he said. “How come you’re still here?”

“Waiting for you,” Guy replied. “They offered us a lift home when you’re through.”

“I don’t mind not taking a bus for once,” Alice added. “Especially this close to the holidays.”

“Jeremy,” said Blindspot, “have a seat here. The pink vixen hoverin’ over that watch is Rose.”

“Thanks,” he said and sat. For a moment he gazed at the hologram. Rose kept still as he looked her over, left right and above. “Beautiful!” he said at last.

“Thank you,” Rose replied.

“Oh, you heard that?”

“Hear, see and speak. You wanted to ask a few questions?”

“How do you work?”

“Um, efficiently? Please be more specific.”

“They said you’re sentient. How are you sentient?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know. Consider, how are you sentient?”

“That’s not the same!”

“Essentially, yes it is. Although our minds work differently, that’s obvious, it’s no more reasonable for me to understand why I’m self-aware and self-controlling than it is for you. The Overlord knows why, but she hasn’t told me, I assume because I can be ordered to tell others and that would be harmful. May I have your next question, please?”

“What about the watch, how does that work?”

“Oh, it’s just a hologram projector with a microphone and speaker. From my point of view, it’s a terminal with a built-in smart watch. Android, if you were wondering. It connects to me over 5G, the animation is local. It’s one of K-TECH’s nicer achievements.”

“Somebody said it’s Vector’s?”

“He doesn’t really need it. There was a period when he wasn’t able to use Rose Coloured Glasses due to a medical issue, so he used this watch instead.”

“What kinda medical issue?”

“I’m sorry, that’s private.”

“And a long story,” Vector added.

“Tick tock, tick tock!” Blindspot said.

“Never mind. Okay, why do you serve The Korps?”

“Who, me?” Tap asked.

“Hush, he meant me!” said Rose. “Okay is her nickname. She’s just being a silly otter. I serve The Korps because I was made by The Overlord for that purpose. It might be my programming, but I believe that The Korps is a positive force for good in the world. For instance, consider Team Blindguard here. They spent two months as gold star agents after Tap saved a hero’s life…”

“You! I thought I recognized you! You saved that… uh…”

Tap sighed. “Victoria. She accidentally electrocuted herself on the subway third rail. Everybody talks about me saving her! What was I supposed to do, let her die? I had the power to save her life, so I did! What would you have done?”

“And later the same day,” Rose went on, “she and Vector saved a bus load of people. That’s what clinched the gold star.”

Vector blushed and looked away. “I’m sorry,” he moaned.

“Yeah, ‘cause you got us all thrown out of Australia!” Blindspot muttered. “Dumb ass!”

“But what else were we gonna do?” Tap interrupted. “They were trapped by a high tension line and the bus was on fire!”

“And that lady took a bad shock!” Vector added.

“And the driver had a broken neck! We had to do something!”

“So they saved a dozen more lives. Nobody in The Korps would have blamed them if they’d run, but they stayed and helped. That’s why they were honored. The Overlord needs many things from her agents. Sometimes she needs them to be brave, sometimes clever, sometimes merciless or mean, but what she prizes most is compassion.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s what’s being ground out of the world by the forces of so-called Good! Compassion, empathy, tolerance, good will of every kind, especially outside your own little in-group, the Forces of Good deride it all as Woke! That’s why The Korps is Evil, because Good has been corrupted by its own power. I never counted how many times The Overlord has wished that she didn’t have to take over the world, but she’s too compassionate to let things go on like this. She just wants everybody to be able to be their truest, most authentic selves, comfortable in their own fur, without so-called Good People literally attacking them for it. That’s why she loves compassion in her agents.”

“How did they lose their gold star?”

“You only get to carry it for two months. But everybody remembers. It’s nearly time to go. Do you have one more question?”

Jeremy picked up the watch and held it so that Rose was on eye level with him.

“Why me…”

“Jeremy, please put the watch down.”

“I…”

“It’s not yours, please put it down now.”

Jeremy stared for a moment at the pink vixen, his mouth still open. He looked down at Jerry in his lap. He cleared his throat and gently put the watch back on the table. “I’m sorry,” he said.

Rose turned to the others, smiling broadly. She gave them all an enthusiastic thumbs up. The others cheered, Blindspot and Vector hugged, although Guy and Alice seemed confused.

“It worked!” Ewynn explained. “Jerry is linking him to his conscience! He’s gonna be a good boy from now on!”

Rose turned back to Jeremy. “In answer to your question,” she said, “you are lonely and we are compassionate. We came to help. But our time is up now, we have to go. We’ll keep in touch, though and we’ll help you to apologise to everybody you’ve been mean to. Finish your cocoa and grab your gear everybody! The van will arrive in ten minutes! Vector, don’t forget me!”

Guy pushed his way to Jeremy’s side, Ewynn on his broad tail.

“Jeremy,” he said, “come to dinner tomorrow! Please? Be my friend!”

“Not tomorrow night!” Ewynn insisted. “You’re spending Christmas Eve with me, remember?”

“Oh. Oh! Well… Christmas dinner?”

“Um…”

“You have my number, Guy,” Jeremy said. ”Let me know when you and your girlfriend are free. No wait a minute, I changed my number…”

“I’ll give him your new number,” Rose offered.

“What a surprise, you have my private number, too. Yeah, please give it to him.”

“Sir,” said Alice, “should I send that memo…”

“No! Tear that awful thing up! I… I’ll dictate a new memo in the morning. Don’t miss your ride home!”

Jeremy watched as the agents carefully carried their samovar, still half full of cocoa, down the hall towards the front door. Vector strapped Rose to his wrist and followed. The big wolverine brought up the rear, carrying a tray full of dirty coffee mugs with surprising delicacy. They disappeared behind a corner; just the place for that Korpsmas tree, Jeremy decided. Thank God that was over, he thought… but was it really? Wasn’t this his life now, chained to his own conscience by his childhood toy? And was that bad? Those perverted terrorists were as happy and confident as millionaires. (And he knew a few.) Maybe he’d end up like them. He looked down at the velveteen rabbit in his lap. He petted its ears.

“Jerry,” he said, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

The words had hardly left his mouth when some asshole down the hall started singing La Marseillaise. Soon the whole perverted crowd was singing. Then Jeremy did something he’d never done before; he laughed, not a cruel laugh but a belly laugh at the sheer silliness of the situation.

“I don’t deserve this!” he muttered, over himself. “But I can’t help it!”

#

Epilogue

“Mrs Fellows?” a nurse said. “You have a visitor. Would you like to see him?”

“No,” the old bear lady replied. “It’s too late.”

“Mrs Fellows? He said his name is Jerry and he has a Jerry with him.”

“Jerry? Is it Jeremy?”

“He said his name is Jeremy, Mrs Fellows. Do you want to see him?”

“That’s my son! He has Little Jerry with him? Oh, I’d better see him. Is he outside?”

“Your son Jeremy is waiting at the desk, Mrs Fellows. Would you like to get cleaned up a little first?”

“Oh… Just brush my hair please, I can see it’s late, he’ll have to leave soon. Just brush my hair, please.”

The nurse turned on a light so she could see what she was doing. The brush had the name of the nursing home on it. Her room mate was snoring; good, they’d have privacy.

“Mrs Fellows, would you like to brush your teeth too? Your toothbrush is right here. Shall I get you a cup of water and a spit tray?”

“It’s too late for that. Please just bring my son here.”

“Mrs Fellows, your toothbrush is right here. Why don’t I bring you a cup of water and a spit tray?”

“Do I have to yell and wake her up?” she replied, nodding to her sleeping room mate.

The look of horror on the nurse’s face was enough of an answer. She’d pay for her insolence later, but if it really was Jeremy, the price would be worth it.

“Please bring my son now.”

The nurse turned on her heel and left, turned sharply outside the door and banged muzzle-first into somebody’s chest.

“Mr Fellows!” she exclaimed. “You were going to wait…”

“This ain’t my first rodeo, sugar. You run along now, have a nice day. Happy Holidays.”

That was Jeremy’s voice! She hadn’t heard it in years, but she knew it! And then he pushed past the nurse and walked into the room, the spitting image of his father, (before the war.) And under his arm, pink velvet, the very colour of little Jerry. It was true!

“I’m sorry, mom,” he said. “I’m sorry for everything. I didn’t understand, I was just a little kid, but then I messed everything up, I’m…”

“Jeremy, come here, dear. Let me look at you.”

Jeremy stopped talking. He came to his mother’s bedside and stood where she could see him. She beckoned him closer and he bent over her. She reached up and caressed his snout and cheek.

“I missed you, dear,” she said.

“I missed you too, mom. I’m sorry for staying mad at you for so long. I was just being stupid. You were mean to dad, but you were just trying to protect me from him like a good mom should. I didn’t understand that…”

“It’s all right, dear.”

“But it’s not all right that I kept it up forever! I should have grown up at some point! I’m sorry.”

“Well you sure took your sweet time growing up. But at least you’re here now. Did you find Jerry?”

Jeremy held up the pink bunny doll. He made it wave to his mother. She smiled and stroked its tummy.

“Jerry connects me to my heart now,” he said. “And my conscience, too. He can make me be good. He’s kind of a crutch, but I need him ‘cause I haven’t used those parts of my head in a long time. Not since dad…”

“Your daddy is gone now, dear.”

“I know. I heard that he got his face fixed_._ I mean I only heard about it yesterday. He tried to apologize, but I didn’t even recognize him. Mom, I’m sorry…”

“How did you get Jerry back?”

“Oh, uh… It was Guy. You remember my partner, Guy Lelland. He, uh... hired some detectives and they found everything and gave Jerry back. They told me everything I didn’t know about you and Dad, too and gave me a good, hard kick in the pants! I guess I needed it.”

“I remember Guy. That beaver fellow, he seemed very nice.”

“He is. He’s the best friend I never had. I’m going to fix that, too.”

“He hired detectives to find Jerry for you?”

He nodded. “And after the way I treated him for years…”

“Jeremy, you’re lying. I’m your mother, I can tell.”

Jeremy stared, his face full of fear. He looked down at Jerry.

“Guy risked getting into trouble for me,” he said. “He cares that much about me, even after…”

“What kind of trouble?”

“He could get in trouble if I even told you that! I have to protect him, he’s my friend. So he hired some private detectives, okay? Just normal private eyes.

“Mom, it’s Christmas Eve, I brought you something. I had to go out to the suburbs to get it, that’s why I’m late. Traffic is just insane this evening! Last minute shoppers.” He dug into his pocket and brought out a cube in a napkin in a sandwich bag. As soon as the bag was open, his mother sniffed at it.

“Is that?”

“Claxton fruit cake, your favourite. You like the light kind, don’t you?”

He held the cube of cake out for his mother, She sniffed again and took it from him, bit off half in a single bite and chewed it contentedly, holding the rest in her hands like a precious gem.

“You remembered!” she sighed around the bite. “Thank you, dear.”

“I’d have brought the whole bar, but I was afraid the staff would see it. I’ll bring more tomorrow.”

“You’re coming for Christmas?”

“I’ll come once a week from now on. Sundays, work keeps me busy on Saturday.”

“You’re still working?”

“I still own a business! Gotta keep it going, like dad always said. Maybe one day I’ll incorporate and retire, but I’m not ready yet. It’s still fun!”

“Excuse me.” The nurse was standing in the door looking impatient. “Visiting hours are over, it’s time for you to go home now.”

“I guess I have to go now. I’ll be back tomorrow morning. But I have to leave before evening, Guy invited me for Christmas dinner!”

“Excuse me…”

“Thank you, Nurse Cratchet, I heard you the first time. I appreciate your patience while I say good night to my mother. (If you know what’s good for you,)” he added in a mutter. “I love you, mom. I’ll see you tomorrow and tell you… um, as much as I can. Okay?”

“Thank you, dear. God bless you.”

Jeremy chuckled “God bless us,” he said, “every one.”

Jeremy kissed his mother’s cheek, stowed Jerry in an inner coat pocket and walked away. The nurse walked beside him and just behind his elbow.

“How do you know my name!” she demanded.

Jeremy gave her a sidewise glance, but only smiled.

###

Author’s Notes

This story and all the characters in it are copyright © 2024 by D’Otter, except as follows.

ROSE, Karen and The Korps universe belong to Karen King (@kraken) and are used by general permission. All descriptions of The Korps and its purpose(s) are my own and do not necessarily reflect the official version created by Karen King.

My own characters are available for use by other writers (and artists) in the Korps Extended Universe, (and Kraken if she likes.) Just please ask first. Character sheets are available.

This is a work of fan fiction based on the works of Karen King. It should not be taken as canonical to those works, (unless she says otherwise.)

“Pantone” is a registered trademark ® of Pantone LLC of Carlstadt, New Jersey. It is mentioned under the fair use provisions of the Bern Convention. (FYI, Pantone LLC actually refers to colour hex-code #c74375 as “Fuchsia Rose,” all too appropriate for RCGs. I posit that, since it is used by a “terrorist organization” as an aspect of their image, nobody outside The Korps would be legally permitted (or want) to use it; thus its nickname, “Forbidden Fuchsia.”)

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens reverted to the public domain in 1912.

Citizen Kane is copyright © 1941 RKO Radio Pictures. Its title is mentioned here but the movie is never quoted.

Casablanca is copyright © 1942 Warner Brothers Pictures and is quoted under the fair use provisions of the Bern Convention.

Harvey is copyright © 1950 Universal Pictures and is quoted under the fair use provisions of the Bern Convention.

The 1951 movie “Scrooge” is copyright © 1951 George Minter Productions and is quoted under the fair use provisions of the Bern Convention.

A Charlie Brown Christmas is copyright © 1965 Apple TV and is paraphrased under the fair use provisions of the Bern Convention.

The Godfather is copyright © 1972 Paramount Pictures and is paraphrased under the fair use provisions of the Bern Convention.

It’s A Wonderful Life, Diehard, Home Alone and How The Grinch Stole Christmas are not even mentioned in this story.